Man from Romania gets 12 Years in Prison for Committing Food Stamp, Debit Card Fraud in East Texas
May 20, 2023 - Tyler, TX - 34-year-old Romanian national Alin Nistor, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in Judge Austin Reeve Jackson’s court for committing food stamp and debit card fraud in East Texas. Nistor pleaded guilty to charges including fraudulent use of debit card information, food stamp fraud, and theft of property. The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center identified Nistor and his wife as part of a transnational organized crime group involving Romanian nationals. Evidence presented in court revealed that the couple had stolen $5,000 worth of ink cartridges from Walmart and were later found with 345 large cans of fraudulently obtained baby formula intended for resale. Nistor also possessed several Lone Star welfare and gift cards re-encoded with food stamp information from California. Thai case was described by Assistant District Attorney Emil Mikkelson as a “reverse Robin Hood” scenario, taking funds intended for needy families. The investigation was conducted by the Tyler Police Department with assistance from the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center.